1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the crimping machine field and more particularly in the field of providing means for funneling stranded wire into a closed wire barrel terminal preparatory to dies on the machine crimping the wire barrel around the wire in tightly encompassing relation.
2. Prior Art
Where closed wire barrel terminals are being crimped around stranded wire in high speed operations, some means must be provided to channel the wire strands into the barrel quickly, effortlessly and accurately. Obviously a funnel-like device provides an appropriate means.
As would be expected, funnels per se are not generally the subject matter of patents, such devices being well known and used in every application requiring the gathering or bunching of discrete objects. Accordingly from the beginning, high speed crimping machines utilized funnels such as shown on the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,939,505.
Some variations have been introduced; an example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,213 wherein a split funnel is employed so as to facilitate releasing and removing the crimped terminal from the crimping station. However the basic cone-shaped funnel shape has prevailed.
More recently as a result of increasing labor costs, machine innovators have been seeking ways to reduce applied costs; i.e., increase the number of terminations per unit time. Machine speed is only one factor and is limited by operator dexterity in feeding the wire strands into the funnel and the wire barrel beyond. OSHA regulations requiring operator shielding guards obviously complicates the operation and actually slows it down in some cases.
One problem which has been discovered in studies relative to feeding wire into the funnel is that not withstanding the wide mouth, the operator must bring his or her line of sight down to or near the funnel level in order to poke the wire strands in. As the eye level of the operator is above that level, considerable time is lost.
Accordingly the present invention provides a wire cone assembly wherein the funnel describes less than a 360.degree. circle; i.e., a segment of the funnel along its longitudinal axis has been removed to enable the operator to feed the wire strands thereinto in a combination poking and laying movement.